Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland eBook

Francis Lascelles Jardine

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 195 pages of information about Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland.

The personalities of the party were reduced to a minimum,
and what was supposed to be absolutely necessary,
one pack (the mule’s) being devoted to odds
and ends, or what are termed in bush parlance, ‘manavlins’.
Three light tents only were carried, more for protecting
the stores than for shelter for the party.

All were in excellent health, and good spirits, and
eager to make a start.

‘October’ 11.—­At sunrise the
cattle was started with Cowderoy and two black-boys,
Eulah and Barney, the former acting as pilot.
Their instructions were to camp at the swamp at the
junction of Pluto Creek, seventeen miles from McDonald’s
station, mentioned on 3rd. September. The
pack-horses were not got away until half-past 12,
two, “Rasper,” and the mule (as often provokingly
happens when most wanted) being astray, and having
to be hunted for. There was also the usual amount
of “bucking” incident to a start, the unpractised
pack-horses rebelling against the unwonted load and
amount of gear, and with a few vigorous plunges sending
pack-bags, pots, hobbles, and chains in scattered
confusion all round them. Few starts of a large
party occur without similar mischances, but a day or
two, suffices for the horses to settle to their work,
after which all goes smoothly. The country travelled
has been described in the preceding chapter.
A hill at five miles on Pluto Creek, received the
name of Mount Eulah. On reaching the swamp,
the brothers found the cattle party had not arrived.
This was the first of many similar annoyances during
the journey. It being between 8 and 9 p.m., it
was useless to think of looking for them at that time
of night. They therefore encamped on the river,
intending to return and run the tracks of the cattle
in the morning. The distance travelled was about
20 miles.